Trust Co. of Vermont Invests $1.12 Million in The Clorox Company $CLX

Trust Co. of Vermont purchased a new stake in shares of The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX) during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 11,753 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,122,000.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Caitlin John LLC lifted its position in shares of Clorox by 1,807.1% in the 4th quarter. Caitlin John LLC now owns 267 shares of the company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 253 shares during the period. Avalon Trust Co bought a new position in shares of Clorox in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Clorox in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Root Financial Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Clorox by 83.8% in the 1st quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 318 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 145 shares during the period. Finally, SHP Wealth Management bought a new stake in Clorox during the fourth quarter worth about $35,000. 78.53% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Clorox Stock Down 0.1%

Clorox stock opened at $105.86 on Wednesday. The Clorox Company has a 12 month low of $84.70 and a 12 month high of $128.90. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $98.44 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $103.17. The company has a current ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.80. The firm has a market cap of $12.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.96, a PEG ratio of 3.15 and a beta of 0.54.

Clorox (NYSE:CLX) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported $1.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.64 by $0.02. Clorox had a return on equity of 522.23% and a net margin of 8.74%.The firm had revenue of $1.95 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.91 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.87 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 2.0% on a year-over-year basis. Clorox has set its FY 2027 guidance at 5.700-6.000 EPS. Equities analysts predict that The Clorox Company will post 5.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Clorox Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 28th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 12th will be paid a dividend of $1.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 12th. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.7%. This is an increase from Clorox’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.24. Clorox’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 103.73%.

Key Headlines Impacting Clorox

Here are the key news stories impacting Clorox this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised its EPS forecasts for Clorox’s third-quarter 2027 and fourth-quarter 2027, and projects earnings of $6.89 per share for fiscal 2029. These increases suggest some potential for longer-term earnings growth, although they were offset by reductions elsewhere.
• Neutral Sentiment: An analysis comparing Church & Dwight (CHD) and Clorox (CLX) highlights Clorox’s higher dividend yield. However, Clorox has increased its dividend more cautiously, making the stock more attractive to current-income investors than to investors seeking rapid dividend growth. Two Consumer Staples, Two Dividend Strategies: Church & Dwight and The Clorox Company
• Negative Sentiment: A cyclospora outbreak has made consumers more cautious about buying salads, and one analyst reportedly sees declining sales for Clorox’s Hidden Valley Ranch dressing. A sustained pullback in salad consumption could weigh on brand sales and near-term revenue. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing may be a victim of this summer’s salad scare
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research lowered its fiscal 2027 EPS estimate to $5.82 from $6.00 and cut its fiscal 2028 forecast to $6.23 from $6.36. It also reduced estimates for the first and second quarters of fiscal 2028 and the second quarter of fiscal 2027. The firm maintains a Strong Sell rating, which is a notable negative signal despite several upward revisions.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have weighed in on CLX. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Clorox from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Evercore set a $99.00 price target on Clorox in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “sell” rating and set a $83.00 price objective on shares of Clorox in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Clorox in a report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $98.00 target price on Clorox in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and five have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Clorox currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $102.40.

Clorox Company Profile

The Clorox Company is a leading manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products designed to help people care for their homes and live healthy, sustainable lives. Its portfolio spans cleaning and household products, food and beverages, water filtration systems and cat litter, serving both retail and institutional customers. The company’s flagship bleach and disinfecting products are well known in the United States and many international markets, where they help prevent the spread of germs in homes, hospitals, schools and businesses.

Clorox’s diverse brand lineup includes liquid bleach and surface cleaners, eco-friendly cleaning tools, food preservation and preparation items, charcoal grills and briquettes, specialty foods and beverages, pet care products and personal care lines.